Days after blow-up in the Oval Office, Trump pauses aid to Ukraine

Washington: US President Donald Trump has paused all aid to Ukraine till as much time as it takes to determine President Volodymyr Zelensky's commitment to ending the war with Russia, according to multiple US media reports. Citing unidentified officials, Fox News reported the order is coming shortly.

President Trump will address the issue of Ukraine in his address to a joint session of the US Congress on Tuesday evening, hours after his tariff hikes of 25 per cent go into effect on imports from Canada and Mexico, and 20 per cent on goods from China.

Asked at a White House what it would take to resume negotiations with Ukraine — for a deal to secure rights to the country’s vast resources of rare earth minerals after it broke down in a fiery exchange with President Zelensky at an Oval Office meeting, Trump said, “I just think you should be more appreciative because this country has stuck with them through thick and thin.”

Asked about President Zelensky’s comments in London that he fears the war with Russia is going to last a long time, President Trump said he hoped the Ukrainian leader was not right. He went on to say Russia wants to end the war and so do the people of Ukraine, seeking to put distance between Zelensky and his country, a line that is playing out prominently amongst his Republican support base.

Trump had called Zelensky a dictator some weeks ago and suggested he was not calling for elections because he feared losing.

After the Friday blow-up in the Oval Office, Lindsey Graham, a Republican senator who has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine’s fight back against the 2022 Russian invasion but who is also known to be a fickle ally and friend at home and abroad, called for Zelensky to step down.

Zelensky, who has said he only answers to Ukrainian voters, offered Graham Ukrainian citizenship so he could actually vote to oust him.

IANS